Process of recovering vanadium



Patented Jan. 29%, was.

meant WILLIAM E. STOKES, 0F ROCKVILLE CENTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED STATES PROCESSES, ING, OF NEW YORK. N. Y., 11 CORFORATION 0F INEW YORK.

raoonss or nncovname VANADIUM.

No Drawing. Application filed February To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. S'ronns, a citizen of the United States of America,

residing in Rockville Center, county of Nes sun, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Recovering Vanadium, of which the following is a. specification.

This invention relates to processes of recovering vanadium from ores, and aims to provide improvements therein.

The invention provides a process wherein the difierence between the solubility of the vanadium compound. in hot and cold solutions, may be utilized forthe precipitation or separation of the vanadium compound from its solution.

The invention further provides a process wherein an inexpensive reagent (sodium sulphate, or sodium ,hydrogen' sulphate) may be employed for converting or transposing the vanadium compound of the ore, to a soluble vanadium compound.

The invention further provides a process wherein the reaction between the vanadium compound in. the-ore and reagent for converting or transposing the vanadium toa soluble. compound may be carried out at a relatively low temperature, with consequent economy of fuel. 5 i

According to the present invention, the vanadium compound in the ore (roscoelite, for example,) is converted to a soluble vanadium sulphate. This may be advantageously effected by heating the ore (crushed) with an alkali-metal-sulphate, or an alkali-metal acid sulphate. The vanadium sulphate is very soluble in'cold water, and insoluble in hot water, and, accordingly, advantage may be taken of this property to effect the separation or isolation of the vanadium compound insolid form. To this end the heated ore mixture maybe allowed to cool and then leached with water, acidu lated (with sulphuric acid, for example), or

' not, as may be preferred.

The solution containing the vanadium sulphate may now be'heatcd, and the vanadium sulphate being insoluble, will be precipitated.

v The recovery of the vanadium compound from the solution, however, may be effected by any other desired method.

)1 the alkali-metal sulphates and alkalimclal acid sulphates, sodium acidsulphate,

8, 1921. Serial No. 443,415.

so called nitre-calrc, of commerce, is commercially available in large quantities and at small cost, and is preferably used for converting or. transposing the vanadium in the ore, to a soluble compound. The use of the alkali-metal acidsulphate, particularly nitre-cake, has the great advantage that the reaction-with the vanadium in the ore may be effected at a relatlvely low temperature;'

in the neighborhood of 300 0., in contrast with minimum temperatures of Y C, upward employed in processes now commonly employed for transposing the vanadium in ores. It will be thus perceived that a large Saving may beeffected, by the use of the mixed, and the mixture heated. Conven-f iently the temperatureneed not be carried above 300? C. or thereabout.

After heating, the mixture is then allowed to cool to ordinary temperatures, as by being allowed to stand.

The mixture is then leached with cold water (acidula'ted if desired), and the solution, containing the soluble"-'vanadium' sulphate, is then run OH to a tank and neutralized, it

necessary, due to the use of an acid leach water. Moreover, to secure complete precipitation it may be desirable to oxidize the lea-ch water. The solution is then heated. conveniently to boilin which temperature practically all of the vanadium sulphate is precipitated. The solution is then filtered, and the vanadium sulphate recovered as a solidsalt, in which formthe vanadiurn'salt may be marketed, or it may be converted to another salt, in any desired manner.

The invention may be carried out in other particular modes than that-specifically described, and parts or steps of the process may be practiced independently.

What is claimed is:

1. In a process of recovering vanadium, forming a cold water soluble vanadium compound relatively insoluble in hot water, leaching with cold water, and heating to precipitate the vanadium compound.

2. In a' process of recovering vanadium,

temperature, at

leaching a vanadium sulphate with cold Water, and heating the solution to a temperature at which the vanadium sulphate is precipitated.

5 3. In a process of recoveringvanadium, heating a vanadium ore with an alkali-metal sulphate, leaching with cold water, and heating the solution to a temperature the vanadium sulphate is precipitated.

4. In a process of recovering vanadium, heating: a vanadium ore with analkali-metal acid sulphate, leaching with cold water, and heating the solution to a temperature at which the vanadium sulphate is precipitated.

at which v signed my nam 5. In a process of recovering vanadium, heating, a vanadium ore with nitre cake, leaching with cold water, and heating the so lution to a temperature at which the vanadium sulphate is precipitated.

I 6. In a process of recovering vanadium, heating a vanadium ore with nitre-cake, at

a temperature in the neighborhood of 300" (l, leaching, with cold water, and heating the solution to a temperature at which the vanadium sulphate is precipitated. in' witness whereof, I have hereunto WILLIAINI STOKES. 

